doorsdrywallpatching-drywallrepair
I decided to repaint my bedroom a few weeks ago. I removed the closet door in preparation for it, then painted the room. I went to reattach the closet door and noticed that the pivot bracket on the ground wasn't screwed in to anything. Looking closer, it seems that the drywall it was attached to has disintegrated.
Bracket near the wall:
Close up of the wall
What should I do in order to re-attach this bracket to the wall?
Scrape off all the old adhesives then use Liquid Nails on the back. Pre-drill, countersink, and screw it into the door. You can use caulk, liquid nails, or wood filler to fill in over screw holes and then re-prime and paint.
I wouldn't try removing the frame. It appears to extend in both directions and may damage a larger section of wall.
You are right to be concerned about taping compound or spackle sticking to a metal edge. I would recommend making a patch that is larger than the opening by about an inch on each side. Then trim away the back paper and the core of the patch so that the part being put into the wall is the exact size of the hole. That will leave you with a "flange" of paper facing on hte room side that will be easier to tape and compound to blend it in.
Your general approach to support is right, but you may not need a brace between the studs. To support the patch, cut three pieces of 1x2 wood that are about 6 inches longer than the height of the opening. Position each piece of wood vertically in the cavity, one near the left side of the hole, one in the middle, and one near the right. To attach each strip pull it forward against the back of the plaster or plasterboard. Hold it in place by screwing through the face of the wall into the top and bottom sections of the wood strip. You can screw the plasterboard patch to these strips for support.
Finish the attachment with tape and taping compound. I would probably use mesh tape on a patch of this size and support.
Best Answer
I would expect that behind the drywall at the bottom is a 2x4 plate running horizontally that the vertical studs rest on. The bracket should be low enough that you can use a 2 inch screw and anchor to that.
You may want to repair the drywall before you put the bracket back. Its hard to tell from the photos if the damage is light enough that you can fill it with joint compound or if you will need to patch the drywall. See this question for drywall repair tips.